A Devil Among Us
by XPsypher
Summary: Aaron Wolfe was just your average Faunus, loved by his family and with an unnatural talent with a bow. However, when a horrible event leaves him and his sister orphans, he learns that there's something out there other than Grimm. Something more deadly.**UPDATE This story is now on a hiatus. I might get back to it but until then, enjoy what I've written**
1. Changes

**Author's Note:**

 **...**

 **...**

 **This has been the longest hiatus that I've ever been on. So much has happened since the last time I posted. I have no excuse for not updating.**

 **I'm sorry.**

 **This college thing is so difficult to handle. As I get back to the swing of things creatively I'll try to jump start off from where I left my other fan fics off. Until then, here's this little idea that I've had since a week ago. The new devilman crybaby anime really punched me hard in the brain, so hard that I made another OC.**

 **This is chapter is more of an origin story than anything, to get the reader situated with the main character's "personality".**

 **I don't know how I'm gonna tie RWBY with Devilman but work with me here.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

"Try again."

The voice was gruff yet sincere, echoing throughout the small clearing behind a simple log house. A tall man with dark hair, accented by grey, stood still behind a timid boy who had a bow clutched in his small hands. The two of them shared little similar traits, with only their strong noses and deep eyes to attest to their lineage, but the one thing they had in common were their wolf-like ears and long wild tails. The larger of the two knelt down to his son's height, adjusting his arms to properly aim at the target away from him. He gave him a reassuring smile.

"Try not to shake up so much, you'll miss big time okay?" He advised. The boy only gave a simple huff as acknowledgement, going back to focus on the target. He adjusted his stance, lifted up the bow and took in a deep breath. As he exhaled he drew his arm back, fingers gripping on the arrow gingery, with his yellow eyes locking on their target. A timer went of in his head, counting down in a slow agonizing pace before he felt it. His moment. Time sped forward and with a small cry the boy released the arrow, watching it slice through the air like nothing. Twenty feet away the arrow found its home, embedded in the red center of the target: a bullseye. The boy stood there staring in shock.

"I...I did it." He whispered, realizing the accomplishment he made. He whipped around to face his father, with a wide toothy grin on his face. He stared at the man like he was having the time of his life. "Daddy I did it!" He exclaimed.

With happiness for his son's accomplishment the father scooped him up in his big arms, swinging the boy around with glee. The two of them shared a happy laugh before it was interrupted by the opening of a backdoor. Emerging onto the back deck was a petite woman with honey blonde hair. No animal ears to speak of on her head, instead regular human ones that poked out of her long locks. She smiled at the two males with on pale hand on her swelling stomach, she was heavily pregnant and expecting soon.

"Come on you two!" She called out. "Dinner's just about ready!" The small boy perked up at the mention of food and quickly squirmed out of his father's arms. In a flash he was bolting back to the house, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake. The father soon followed behind, meeting his wife with a small peck on her cheek. The two of them watched their five year old son race to the kitchen where the food was being prepared.

"Are you ready sweetie?" The woman asked. The man placed another kiss on her cheek.

"Ready for what." His voice grumbled.

"You know..." The woman rubbed a hand on her extended belly to give her husband a hint. The man stared at her hand for awhile before his ears drooped down to lay flat on his head.

"If you asked me that a few months ago I would've said 'hell yes!', but now I'm not so sure. Too many variables to put into count, and with all the mistakes I've made I'm not sure I can even keep up!" He groans with worry on his face. He pinched his nose for a second, drawing out a long winded sigh. "All of this parenting has turned me into a huge sap." The woman laughed at that, resting her head on the man's chest.

"Even so you're still _my_ sap, Kuno." She smiled. The man growled, rolling his eyes at the sickeningly sweet tone of hers, before eventually giving in. He rubbed the small of her back lighty.

"Love you too Lucy." He smiled.

A crash of pots and pans disturbed them from their heartfelt embrace, jump starting them to a run for the kitchen. What came after was a wild mess to clean up, but a fun one all in the same.

* * *

 _ **Six years later...**_

The lush forests that surrounded the outskirts of Norton Village were silent as a lone figure sat in the trees. Nestled on top of sturdy branches his yellow eyes quietly tracked any source of movement. He stayed there silently until he saw it, a slender mass of brown and white sticking its head out from the underbrush, antlers proudly on display. A buck, a perfect prize to show off, to show his worth. The young boy took his time, swiping his brunette hair away from his eyes, as he hopped over to another tree without making a sound. The constant hunting with with his father made him nimble and with his bow work he was considered as a village prodigy, even though many may want to dismiss.

Pushing the thoughts aside the boy quickly got situated, and with a perfect view he drew his bow. He felt the smooth wood of the arrow as he aimed, focusing on it as he concentrated, but it all almost faltered as the buck turned.

It's head turned directly to face him.

The boy almost faltered, quickly regaining his composure to stare back at the animal. The two of them watched each other in silence, neither making an attempt to move. The deer's tail swished back and forth patiently as if waiting for the boy to strike, and for some reason the boy couldn't do anything. It wasn't like he'd done this before, he killed animals thousands of times! But for some reason, this buck made him falter.

That scared him.

Strange feelings walloped inside of his chest, and after a few seconds, he realized he was shaking. The buck's eyes were getting to him, and he hated that. The boy bowed his head, telling himself that this was for the best, that even if he spared the deer it would only be killed by Grimm anyway. The boy looked back up, realizing that the deer was still there. It took him five deep breaths to calm himself down and two bites of his lip to strengthen his grip. Giving one last sad glance at the deer, he let the arrow go.

"Sorry big guy." He muttered. His aim was true, as it always was, going through the buck's neck like butter. The blood spurted out on the grass as it collapsed, decorating it with a strangely beautiful red. The boy made an effort to scale down the tree he was on, crossing the distance between him and the deer. Seeing the quivering animal before him struck a strange cord, so he unsheathed a small dagger from his hunting belt to finish the job.

"Your sacrifice won't be forgotten." He prayed, as he did the finishing blow.

The trip back home wasn't a long one, but dragging back the deer carcass sure made it felt like it. However, once he passed the line of trees into the clearing the boy left all of his previous emotions behind.

"Aaron where have you been?! Do you know how worried I've been!" A honey blond woman stood on the back deck arms crossed over her dress and white apron. Her pregnant belly was gone, instead was the slight fat from the previous experience of what she tried to work off. Her hair was pulled into a bun, exposing her low cheekbones and dimples frown. Arron smile weakly as he scratched his head, his habit of going off without telling anyone always drove his parents over the edge, his mother mostly. He was surprised she hadn't grown grey hairs yet, even at her young age.

"My bad!" He called back, lifting up the deer carcass by the antlers with his thin hands. "Will this make up for it?" Lucy glanced at the dead buck in her son's hands in shock, surprised at the sheer size of it.

"You caught that all by yourself?!" She all but screeched. Aaron's nod did nothing to dispel the horror in her heart, but the pro's out weight the cons in this case. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood today," She sighed. "That'll do great for the upcoming fall festival."

The fall festival, an event held every November to celebrate the harvest before the upcoming winter. A place for fun, fellowship and good food, or at least it should be. In the recent years human and faunus relations have been on edge. Aaron knew it, as much as his parents tried to hide it, their family was taking the brunt of it. Romantic relations between human and faunus were never really approved on, and being by products of the relationship only gathered unwanted attention. There hadn't been any major backlashes yet, but his father was sure that something of the sort would happen. Aaron didn't want to believe it.

"Aaron! Are you well?"

His mother's voice brought him back to the present.

"Yeah I'm fine!" He called back.

"Well come in! You and your sister can help me with dinner!"

Dinner preparations went smoothly, or as smoothly as tried to be. Lucky would usually have the radio quietly play classical music as she moved from pot too pan. Aaron helped out with chopping the vegetables and preparing the deer. After many kitchen accidents Lucy made an effort in teaching him the proper ways of cooking, so he wouldn't start a fire anymore. Aaron quickly progressed in skill, but still had a ways to go. As Lucy went to work on the stove top, she felt a small hand tug at her dress. She looked down, staring into the yellow eyes of her daughter. Being the newest edition into their family, little Emilia was treasured heavily. Sharing her father's black hair and her almond eyes, Emilia looked like the perfect combination of the two. Emilia's wolf ears perked up with interest as her big eyes bore into her mother's.

"What can I do to help?" She asked with a slight lisp. Not wanting to deny her daughter, Lucy glanced around, before spotting the herbs she layed out to be tended to later.

"Aaron darling could you fetch those herbs and three bowls for Emilia." She asked.

"Aww, but mom!"

" _ **Aaron!"**_

"On it!" The boy blanched as he sped over to the herbs, not wanting to anger his mother further. Afterwards all of the attention was back on the food, being feverishly prepared for the big festival. The tree of them worked hard, even little Emilia showed some seriousness before it was over. Lucy stepped back and let out a sigh of accomplishment, the festival food was slowly cooking and the night's dinner was nearly done.

"Fantastic work troopers!" She exclaimed, ruffling the heads of her two beloved children. "Now who's ready for dinner?!" The sound of the front door opening, broke the kid's attention.

"I'm home!"

"Papa!" Emilia yelled with excitement. With stumbling feet she ran out of the kitchen to give her father one of her very own hugs. The large lumbering man accepted it gladly, patting her head with a large hand. Emilia looked up at him with a smile, when she noticed something peculiar.

"Papa, your face!" She exclaimed. As Lucy walked out to greet her husband, she too noticed something about her husband. On his face were two gastly cuts, one on the bridge of his nose and the other on his left cheek. Not to mention that purplish bruise was exposed on his exposed arm. Lucy immediately assumed the worst.

"What happened Kuno?" She asked under baited breath. Kuno chucked, picking up Emelia with little effort.

"Nothing for you to worry about." He smiled.

"You sure dad?" Aaron piped in next to his mother. Kuno stared at his son with serious eyes.

"I'm sure Aaron." He finished, ending the conversation. "Now let's eat."

Despite the happy mews of Aaron and Emilia around the dinner table, Lucky and Kuno and ate in silence.

* * *

The next day was the festival and one of the biggest ones that Aaron had seen so far. The whole village has shown up, along with some new faces from out of town. Practically the whole day was dedicated to it with music, dancing, and games. Lucy was over with the other cooks preparing the dinner, while Emilea played with her small group of friends by the piles of leaves. Aaron on the other hand was on front in center of one of the main events: The Archery contest. The goal was to hit as many moving targets as you could, with varying spots labeled for points.

He could feel the eyes of the crowd on him as he stepped up to his spot. He was sure that there were people who wanted him to fail, to mess up in front of everyone. His hands clenched around the bow at the thought. But he wouldn't let that happen, he would show them that a kid like him could be taken seriously.

"Ready?" The game host called out to him. Aaron gave the plump man a short nod.

"Go!"

Targets sprung to life from the ground, before being quickly put down by arrows. Aaron's arms worked like a living gun, springing forth at a high rate that would leave anyone dumbstruck. He moved with grace, bringing out nearly all of his cards on the table, as he made a spectacle of himself. He drew gasps and awes of amazement from the crowd, which only made him grin harder. By the time the time was up and the last arrow was released he straightened from his position, chest heaving, before taking a bow. Soon after the arrows were collected, and the points were tallied.

"300 points!" The announcer exclaimed. "The new record goes to Aaron Wolfe!"

"What?!"

"No way?!"

"Impossible! A kid can't do that!"

"Must be his faunus blood..."

The crowd erupted into murmures as eyes watched Aaron go to claim his prize: a small golden trophy. He was content, happily walking despite the looks. No one was going to ruin this moment for him, not even...

Splat!

An unknown force slapped his wrists, causing the trophy to clatter to the floor. Aaron looked up and frowned, seeing the faces of three kids he knew too well. He glowered at the yellow eyes shining dangerously.

"What do you want Devin?" He growled. Devin was one of the many kids in the village that no one particularly liked. He was fair skinned with pale blue hair that fell to the nape of his neck. Being one the larger twelve year olds around he conveyed a certain presence, none of which was good. With the posse around him that consisted of Zack, a pencil thin blonde, and Jake, a snot nosed brat, Devin was sure to draw in the bad crowd. Devin stood before Aaron with a deep frown on his fat lips.

"Saw what you did back there, I'm actually kinda impressed." He began. Aaron's eyes widened in shock. Since when did Devin of all people learn the ability to be humble?!

"Wow Devin, didn't think you had nice things to say in that thick head of yours" Aaron commented with a smile on his lips.

"Shut up! That was probably just some stupid faunus trick!" Devin growled.

"I think you're just jealous of what I can do." Aaron boasted. " You probably couldn't even hit a target if it were a foot away from-" Devin's meaty fist planted itself on Aaron's face before he could finish the sentence. The blow sent Aaron flying backwards onto the ground. Even through the slight pain the blush Aaron saw on Devin's cheeks told him everything.

"It's true." He added with a lopsided smile.

"Shut up!" Devin shouted, kicking Aaron while he was down.

"What's going on here?" A familiar voice appeared, with a question that strained on the edge of calm. Aaron looked up to see Kuno standing tall behind Devin, with his face encased behind the shadows of his hair. Despite Aaron's father's imposing stature, Devin turned around with a defiant expression.

"Teaching your shitty son a lesson!" He barked. The whole area hushed as onlookers waited for Kuno's response. Kuno stayed where he was, not moving an inch as his eyes stared holes into the poor kid's skull.

"Oh really?" He muttered.

"Out of my way! Out of my way! You!" A large skinny man stepped out from the crowd with short blue hair. Even from far away his blue stubble and mismatched clothing stood out, it was Devin's father. "What are you doing with my son?!" He spat.

"Stopping him before he kicked my son's teeth in." He answered as he turned to face him. "You really should teach him how to behave."

"You're animal's the one you should be worrying about! That mouth of his is just a world's worth of trouble!"

"Did you just say animal?"

"So what if I did? What are you going to do about it?!"

The two men were forehead to forehead then, glaring angrily at each other with greater intensity. The festive atmosphere had albut died, leaving an uncomfortable and tense on laced with fear and anger. Aaron looked on with worry, knowing that it could very well get worse from here.

It did.

" _ **GRIMM!"**_

A scream of bloody murder filled the afternoon air, and what quickly followed was absolute pandemonium. Blurs of red, black, and white ran through crowd as people tried escape. With each scream a table was overturned, sending food and party favors everywhere. In the midst of the chaos aaron found a strong arm lifting him to his feet, before Kuno's face appeared in front of his.

"Go find your mother and sister." He ordered.

"B-But," Aaron stammered.

" **GO!"** Kuno yelled. Aaron's feet kickstarted from underneath him, sending him running in the direction of the banquet area. As he glanced back he saw his father brandish a pair of swords from under his clothes.

Terrified screams filled the air, and Aaron couldn't help but watch as people on his left and right were being cut down like flies. Bodies and blood covering the ground in a thick coat, as more Grimm looked for other victims. Eventually Aaron made it to the banquet area, only for his stomach to drop.

There wasn't a living person in sight.

Tables and chairs were either broken or overturned, with precious food scattered on the floor without a care in the world. Blood was everywhere, destroying decorations that everyone words so hard for. But what was worse were the bodies. Lifeless eyes staring up to the sky, mouths still open in shock. Their faces would surely haunt him, but he had other matters to attend to.

"Mom?! Mom?!" He called.

No answer.

"Mom?! Mom Please!" He called again, stepping over a severed arm. A small explosion from the distance deterred him for a moment, but he kept going.

"DAMMIT JUST ANSWER ME!"

Tap.

Something hit his foot. A sense of dread filled his stomach, and as much as he wanted to just walk right over it, he knew he had to at least peek. So slowly, Aaron gathered the courage to look down.

He immediately wished he hadn't.

The first thing he noticed was her hair, her beautiful honey blonde hair. It Wasn't held up in a bun any longer, instead spreading out like a web from beneath her. Her skin was deathly white, almost blue, yet her face didn't show any fear. Her eyes were half lidded as if she were falling to sleep, the slightest crack of her lips were the only indication of fear. Aaron stood there for what it felt like years, eons maybe. His yellow eyes drinking every detail before him. Even as his knees gave from underneath him, even as the thick blood splashed onto her lips, he said nothing. All he did was cradle her head into his chest and wept. It didn't matter if a whole massacre was happening around him, the one thing that mattered to him the most was taken away from him.

"Nonononononononono." He sobbed. "This can't-You can't I-"

" _ **AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**_

Aaron's head perked up at the scream. He knew that scream.

"Emilia." He whispered.

His body moved on autopilot, breaking into a dead sprint and leaving his mother's head behind. He whipped around the corner of a building to see a rather large Ursa gaining on a cowering girl. Emilia had the look of terror on her eyes as she desperately scooted away, getting blood all over her new dress that she was so excited to wear.

"EMILIA!" Aaron screamed, running straight towards the Grimm. It was stupid but what could you do? What could you do in this situation? A million emotions flew by in his head as the image of emilia being torn to shreds pierced into his brain. However, one stood out from the rest.

 _ **Rage.**_

Rage at the Grimm, rage at the fact that they would even dare to take away what's close to him. With each thrust of his feet Aaron became more livid, suddenly not caring for the safety of himself any longer. He couldn't think about himself any longer, not when his little sister is about to be killed in front of him. That simply wouldn't happen, he wouldn't let that happen.

"I WON'T! **I WON'T!** " Aaron let out a guttural yell, feeling the emotion of rage take over him. Everything went cloudy, time slowed, and he could have sworn he felt something dive into him. But it didn't matter because in a matter of seconds he lost himself.

He saw red.

* * *

 **...**

 **...**

 **God this feels so edgy. I swear i'm not trying to be!  
**

 **...**

 **...okay maybe i am...**

 **...tell me what you think...**


	2. Indoctrination

**Author's Note: As I get back on the swing of things, I'm quickly realizing a major problem. Introducing demons and devil's in the RWBYverse is going to be a lot harder than I thought. I'll try to keep a consistent power scale going, considering that the humans in this series are a lot stronger than the ones in Devilman.  
**

 **Thanks to Ibn for your kind words, I hope to keep the quality of this story.**

 **Anyway, enjoy the read!**

* * *

Aaron had only heard stories of Vale. A vast city filled with huntsmen and huntresses in training along with good food and great people to meet. He had always dreamed to go there one day, with his family and friends. However as he looked at the stained wall in front of him, he knew that it'd never come true. At least, not in the way he hoped. Instead of walking down the streets with Lucy and Kuno side by side, there he was in an alleyway corner with a box for a home. He sunk further into the shade of it's walls, with Emilia pressing her body deeper into his side. Their life had changed dramatically in a short amount of time, neither of them had the mental power or the time to think straight.

Aaron thought back on the first thing he remembered on that evening a month ago, reliving the moments where Emilia was being attacked by that Grimm. He could only remember brief glimpses of the fight, the sharpness of Grimm claws and the sound of their bodies crumpling like paper. It hurt him to go any deeper, and the fact that it did scared Aaron. What could have he done for his own body to forbid him from remembering? He didn't know and he was too afraid to find out.

He remembered the sky being dark when he came to, the only light coming up from the fires that consumed many of the village homes. It took his mind a while to settle, but he soon realized that he was kneeling down in that sea of blood naked, cradling an unconscious Emilia, and with a totally different body. It took Aaron all of his power to not go into a nervous break down right there, because he was still in danger. Emilia was still in danger. His body went on autopilot, running back to what remained of their forest home, and gathering whatever was left. He only took essentials: cloths, food, soap bars, before hightailing it out of there and not looking back. The two of them wandered through the rough wilderness for what seemed like ages, and during that time helped Aaron to get accustomed to his new body. It was as if someone aged his body up to an eighteen year old. Now he was almost as tall as his father, standing at an intimidating six feet, with a body that seemed to be made for a veteran huntsman. His brunette hair stuck out more, falling wildly down to his back, and framing his square face nicely. In basic terms he was impossibly handsome, even through the obvious grit and grime.

Emilia took a turn for the worst. Ever since she woke up she became distant, but given everything that had happened, Aaron couldn't blame the poor girl. Everything in the six year old's life was taken from her, all because of those damned monsters. Aaron would give up anything just to see her smile, just to see her happy, but he knew that was nearly impossible. However he had to try, he was the older one, he was the one who had to take care of her. He would do anything and everything that was necessary to keep her safe. A loud grumble interrupter Aaron from his thoughts. He heard Emilia whimper in discomfort. Food was something that was hard to come by but they had to get by even if that meant stealing.

"Brother, I'm hungry." Emilia pouted staring at her brother with tired eyes. Aaron frowned, feeling a similar hunger fill up his gut. That was another thing about his body, it got hungry faster and longer than how he previously was. With each food scrap he ate, it only seemed to make him hunger more. It would take a lot of food to satisfy his stomach but he knew that Emilia came first, no matter how his conscious felt. Aaron gave her a soft smile before ruffling her head, careful not to press hard on the hat hiding her ears. It was no surprise that the Faunus weren't well liked, even in a well established place as Vale. Every city had it's ruff patches and here was no exception. It was hard to hide their Faunus nature with their wolf ears and tails, but they made do, even if it meant to cause themselves discomfort. Aaron didn't need to cause any more unwanted attention from them.

"I'll find you something." He promised. The small girl's eyes lit up briefly, excited at the possibility of food. She sat there in silence as Aaron stood, alleyway shadows darkening his long worn coat that his father wore. With a gloved hand, Aaron pulled down the dark green beanie on his head, hiding his ears from the world, before winking playfully. "Stay right there, I'll be back soon."

* * *

Walking down the street proved to be more dangerous over time, especially during the night. Ever since they'd gotten to Vale Aaron had gained a reputation, from swindling the average citizens into buying him food or stealing from street markets when no one was looking. He had made the effort in switching it up, striking different places at different times, to throw some of the authority off. His earlier attempts had gotten himself the most heat but after a while he assumed that they tool pity on him, at least that's what he wanted to believe. He trudged past a pair of cute girls and gave them a nod, enticing a happy reaction from the two of them. Not only had his body changed, but it felt as if his whole personality was turned up to eleven. He'd become more extroverted, spitting out more insults and witty one liners that often caused fists to fly. Most of the time it wasn't even his fault, he just couldn't control himself. It was like he was struggling between his normal twelve year old self and a more mature yet cocky eighteen year old. It was confusing and strange, but it was something that he'd had to deal with. The answered would come later when he'd find them. What came first was food.

Aaron chuckled lightly, ignoring the weird stares he was getting as he happened upon a food stand. His yellow eyes examined the small crowd gathered around it, reading the Farmer's Market sign hammered above. It wasn't a store that he was familiar with but he didn't care, as long as they had food it was good enough for him. Stuffing his hands into his coat pockets, he waltzed in, scanning the area through the bangs hiding his eyes. This was it, the big break. There was plenty of fruits and vegetables to sneak out, and with his previous hunter training he could use it for his advantage. So he put on an unassuming face, he straightened his posture, and moved through the crowd. A wide variety of people passed him by, all with wildly different hair colors, face shapes and skin tones. However one similarity tied them all together, they were all human. This would surely make things difficult because no matter how hard he tried to pass off as human, his permanent eyeliner, wolf eyes, and sharp canines always proved to be his downfall. However he knew he couldn't mess up, this was for Emilia after all.

Aaron waltzed up to an apple stand and picked up an apple, staring into it as if he were trying to find it's true meaning. Just as he was about to pocket it he felt a peculiar set of eyes, feeling him up and down from behind. A cold shiver ran down his spine as he turned, facing a young woman standing about two feet away. She looked to be on the precipice of adulthood, with curves in all the right places showing her worth. Her purple hair was tied up into a loose ponytail, exposing the tanned skin on her neck. Even though she was dressed modestly Aaron knew that if he saw during any other hour, he would not be thinking as pleasantly about her as he was now. The woman took his stare as the go ahead to come closer, even though that was something Aaron didn't need. He could only wait patiently as she crossed the slightly dense crowd, before appearing in front of him. She smiled mischievously at him.

"What do we have here? A new face, I'll be damned to not have seen a handsome one like yourself around these parts. What's your name sweetie?" She cooed.

 _Sweetie?!_ The word almost made Aaron vomit. That word was on of his mother's favorites, seeing it come out of a woman of this type made him want to die right there. But he couldn't slip up now, he had a facade to put up.

"I've been called lots of names...but you can call me Rob." He replied, reaching into the bottom of the barrel of names. It was stupid, he knew that, but the ever growing urge to eat was overpowering his thinking strategies. However, it seemed like the woman was buying it. Her teeth toyed on her plump lips playfully, batting her eyelashes as she examined his face.

"Rob? What an interesting name. To be honest I think Wolfe suits you better." She smirked. Aaron's heart nearly stopped.

 _Wolfe?! D-Did she know?!_

Despite his inner turmoil, his eyes scanned her face for any subtle hints, only to find none. However, he did see her glance ever so slightly over to the apple he held in his hand. That's when everything clicked. She thought he was going to steal, something that anyone else would be offended by, if only for the fact that it was true. Aaron resisted the urge to gulp as he tried to think of something to say back to her.

"What makes you say that?" He asked. In a split second, the lady's act dropped. Her playful smile and demeanor fell, replaced with a serious frown. She leaned in closer, eyes boring into his.

"You're not as sly as you think boy, It's obvious what you're trying here." She whispered. "This is my father's place, and I'm not gonna let some low-life like you steal from it." Sweat drops started to trail down his face, it was like he could feel the eyes of every bystander watching him with disdain. Charming his way out wasn't an option anymore. As he stared into her eyes he knew that the only option left was to run.

He pushed her back with all his might, sending her flying into the crowd of people behind her. The force of the impact caused everyone she hit to be pushed into the nearby food stands, causing the wooden structures to break. Aaron used this distraction to his advantage, snatching a few more apples into his coat pockets, before booking it down the street. He could hear the woman struggling to her feet, among the moans and groans of his other victums.

"THIEF! THIEF!" She cried, voice disappearing as quickly as it came. Aaron smirked, his body moving in an inhuman pace below him. There was no way anyone could catch up, not with the new speed he gained. Every time he ran, it was on the verge of him going onto all fours. Aaron didn't know where he was going at first, the street corner were coming and going by at an insane rate, but when Emilia's face popped back into his consciousness he knew.

"Right! The apples!" He exclaimed, making a shark cut through a wide alleyway. This the amount of running he'd done, he was sure that he'd avoided any local law enforcement. He skidded to a stop, coat sweeping up from the wind, and blowing a cloud of dust around him. He leaned against the building's wall for a quick breather, when he felt his stomach grumble. He closed his eyes and bit his lip, trying to think of anything other than food. He could feel the nails on his fingers start to expand as his thoughts derailed seamlessly, with the imaginary image of a four coarse meal filled with meat. The apples in his coat felt heavy all of the sudden and against his better judgment he took one out. Aaron admired the beautiful red color, not realizing that his hand slowly inching it towards his dry lips before it was too late. His mouth opened, almost swallowing the thing whole biting, but in a split second he remembered to chew. He sunk his teeth into it, feeling an explosion of goodness and pleasure in his mouth. Wonderfully sweet juice ran down his chin and with each chew he felt his tail wag happily from underneath his coat. He savored each bite as he walked, feeling more full as the pieces hit the bottom of his stomach. In a matter of seconds the apple was finished, before he went to feed on the next one, then the next one, and the next one. When he finally stopped himself, he only had three left. The three, to which he decided, that he was going to give to Emelia. As he held onto the three apples the hunger in his gut never went away. Eventually he returned to the alleyway he called home.

"Emelia!" He called out, voice low to not scare her. "I got...apples..." He approached the box with a smile, only for his words to fail when he noticed something.

She wasn't there.

"Emilia?" He whispered, yellow eyes growing wider with each second.

The box was empty, like no one had even been there, even the blanket that she kept was missing. Aaron dropped to his knees, shifting through the stuff in there for that slim chance that she was hiding among it. But she wasn't, of course she wasn't, Aaron knew that she wouldn't do that to him.

"Why am I even doing this?" He growled, jumping back to his feat. Worst case seriousness were flooding his mind, with all the outcomes incredibly morbid.

 _Was she hurt? Hungry? Did someone kidnap her? Or WORSE?!_

Aaron hadn't realized that his breathing had accelerated, even as he marched out of the alley mouth into the open. To the random pedestrians he looked like a crazed addict, but he didn't care. He had to find out where his little sister went.

"Have you seen my sister?" He practically yelled, eyes nearly bulging out of his sockets. A young woman backed away slowly, muttering incoherently apologizes for whatever she did wrong. Aaron continued to ask around, getting a wide range of reactions and responses, but none of them helped him in his quest. Eventually he found himself trudging sadly outside the local park, staring at the apples in his hands. Tears threatened to fall down his at the thought of never seeing Emilia again.

"...Stupid...so so stupid..." He whimpered. "...I shouldn't have left her..." He could feel his tail go limp from underneath his coat and his ears twitch uncomfortably. He wish that he could throw off these dusty cloths, but the fear of being looked at differently always stayed at the back of his mind.

"Brother!"

Aaron's head perked up at the voice, he knew that voice.

"Emilia?" He whispered.

"Brother! Over here!"

Aaron spun around, searching with his eyes, until he found her. Emilia was just thirty feet away from him, playing at the park, with a huge smile on her face. All of the emotions that Aaron held within him fell out. Anger, worry, surprise, sadness, happiness, all of them merged into one. He crossed that distance in a flash, scooping up Emilia into his arms and pressing her to his chest. When he felt her small arms return his hug he felt as if all was right with the world. They stayed there like that for a while before he finally released her. Aaron put her back down, before resting his hands on her shoulders.

"I told you to stay there Emilia, you scared me!" He exclaimed, keeping a happy smile on his lips. His sister looked down at her dirty shoes, puffing her cheeks in embarrassment.

"Sorry.." She apologized. "But the nice lady offered me food an I-"

"What lady?" Aaron barked.

"She's talking about me." A voice said from behind the two of them. Aaron stood, facing a woman with fair skin and short blonde hair. She wore a tasteful vest and pant combo, with a muted turtleneck and dark combat boots. Sticking right out of her hair were blonde fox ears, that twitched underneath the light breeze. She smiled at Aaron, folding her arms harmlessly in front of her. A few ways away from her were two men posted near a park bench, both sporting similar animal traits. They gave a nod of acknowledgement Aaron's way, but it only made him more wary. Aaron looked back at the lady with concerned eyes, with one hand bawling into a tight fist. Just who was she? What did she want from Emilia? From him?

Seeing the suspicion and doubt in his eyes, the lady took a step forward, trying to ease the tension with a wave of her hand.

"We don't mean any harm," She started. "We're friends, we just wanted to help." Aaron felt his ears twitch from underneath his hat. As sweet as this lady's words might have been, he still wasn't buying it.

"I don't believe you." He growled.

"Well you wouldn't be the first," She sighed. "But in all honesty I couldn't just walk past seeing a girl starve."

Aaron stared at her for a bit longer, gauging her response. There was a sincerity in her eyes that spoke of her good nature, he couldn't deny that, but something still bugged him.

"As much as I'd like to thank you, I still don't buy it. You don't look like the sort to do things out of the goodness of your heart, you want something from me." He

The woman's eyes flickered with surprise before she shut them, chuckling to herself before smiling. "Perceptive are we?"

"What can I say, I'm a good judge of character. Besides I've been around long enough to know not to trust acts of kindness, most of the time they're too go to be true." Aaron replied, voice lowering as he finished his thought.

"And when they aren't?" The woman asked. Aaron paused for a second, before giving her a heated glare.

"Look lady just tell me why you're here." He pressed.

"As you wish," She sighed. "We're a part of an organization that helps people like you two in need."

"People like us?" Aaron repeated, gesturing to himself as if he missed something. Suddenly, the gears in his head clicked. "As in Faunus?" He asked. The woman nodded her head in confirmation. Aaron pondered on her words. There wasn't that many Faunus organizations that he heard of. Though it was a hot topic around the dinner table, he never paid any attention to it. However one name stuck out, as it was the talk of the village at some point.

The White Fang.

Aaron's father made it a point not to talk about them in the house. His mother chalked it up to a couple of bad experiences a few years earlier. Aaron never asked him and his mother did her best to keep his privacy sacred, but even so it intrigued him. Aaron wasn't sure what relations his father had with the organization, but he did know that it was quite popular with their kind. He looked back at the lady in curiosity.

"Are you apart of The White Fang?" He asked.

"Yes," She smiled. "A specific division to be exact. My group is tasked with recruiting members who have skills that we see fit. As you might of assumed, we have a proposition for you." At her words the whole area went silent, Aaron's head spun at her words. An opportunity that would get him out of this crappy situation?! He didn't want to believe it but there he was, eyes practically shining with hope.

"Go on." He pushed, ready to hear more.

"We have ears in places and we've heard that your a decent shot, am I wrong?" She asked.

Aaron shook his head. "I'm decent, but if you know that then you know about...well."

"It's an unfortunate thing to happen, but it happens a lot more often than wanted. I'm surprised you even made it out here in one piece." She said.

"We managed." He shrugged.

"I see..." The lady trailed off, along with her smile. It fell to satisfy with a serious frown as she folded her arms across her chest. Aaron felt his ears twitch, feeling a bit uneasy at where this was going. The lady walked closer to the two of them, causing Emilia to disappear behind Aaron's legs.

"Let me outright with you and ask you this; If you had to kill for people to get out of your situation, would you do it?" She demanded. Aaron's eyes widened, not expecting a question of that magnitude. In his short life he'd only killed to eat, for food and nothing more. To go a step above and kill a like minded fellow seemed very strange to took his silence to continue.

"That's what we're asking of you. We've seen the talent that you posses, and we'd hate for it to be wasted, or for it to fall in the wrong hands. I know that I might seem to be coming on strong, but I'm being serious when I say it. It won't be pretty, but it will be for a great cause."

"And what cause is that?" He asked.

"To stop the senseless discrimination that the Faunus don't deserve. To put down people who use others for their own profit," Her eyes went into a cold fury, filled with resolve. "By any means necessary."

Her conviction was strong, almost enough to sway him. However, the feeling of his sister's presence kept him from answering. Even if he were to help her, how would he know that Emilia would be safe. It's enough caring for her like it was then, but if he was gone for weeks at a time who would watch her? Aaron put his hand on Emilia's shoulder as his mind reeled at the decision. He licked his lips before speaking.

"If I say yes...will my sister be safe? I don't want to see her living in a trash heap anymore." His voice was raw, and despite being deep and smooth, it sounded like a child took over. The woman nodded, raising a hand towards him.

"She'll be taken care of. You have my word."

"How can yo be so sure?" He asked, eyes staring into hers.

"We have a lot more resources than you realize, I'm sure we can think of something. All we need is your commitment."

Aaron looked at the hand for a while. Seconds passed. Minutes passed.

He took hold of her hand and shook, firmly. "When do I start?"

* * *

 **Well that was a dozy. It looks like our boy is in it with The White Fang, but I wonder how long it'll last...**

 **Long enough for him to realize how corrupt the organization is from the inside.**

 **I'm really looking forward in continuing this. I'll try to keep it as consistent as I can.**

 **So until next time**

 **Ja Ne~**


	3. Determintion

**Author's Note: I have so many ideas going for this story it's not even funny. I'm hoping to introduce demons and devils into the next chapter. They might not have a heavy presence, but they'll certainly leave a mark. I'll try to keep the number of OC characters to a minimum and try to incorporate more of the canon characters soon.  
**

 **But for now, enjoy!**

* * *

Many days came and went, and in those new days came challenges that pushed Aaron to his limits. Aaron quickly came to the conclusion that the past eight months was literal hell on earth.

The White Fang were no joke, taking their training incredibly seriously, even to hilarious degrees. The uncomfortable pulsing of his muscles was what greeted Aaron after a day's session, and it would only get worse as the training grew in difficulty. However despite it being horrible, it did pay off. His high adaptability set him apart from the other new recruits, and after impressing the higher-ups with his improved marksmanship he was quickly given a veteran member to shadow. He'd be paired with them for an undisclosed time, until he was ready to take up missions on his own of course.

Aaron didn't meet his partner until five days leading up to his first mission, something that incredibly bugged him, since no one gave him the full detail considering it. All Aaron knew were the bare bones, something about a corporate executive of the Schnee Dust Company hiding information. As Aaron laid waste to the targets in one of the many training rooms, he began to contemplate on how exactly the mission would go and what his partner was like.

Aaron hardened his grasp around the augmented bow in his left hand, chest rising and falling as the damaged targets were quickly replaced with new ones. He waited in the silence of the empty room with only his heartbeat to fill the void. In a flash wooden targets rose up from the ground, sending Aaron in action. His large and muscular body dove and dashed, showing a surprising amount of agility for someone of his caliber. Aaron couldn't count how many times people have asked him how he moved the way he did. Some people just couldn't comprehend that a tall and intimidating figure could hold much grace. To be honest Aaron didn't either, but that didn't deter him in the slightest. He had the affinity for attacking from afar, close combat was messy, and while he had been in a few fights he never enjoyed it. So as he dealt with the wooden targets with his bow, he lost himself in it. It was the only other thing he had left from home, and he wouldn't let the skill go to waste.

The last arrow from his quiver ran true, hitting its mark on another arrow, before running right through.

Bullseye.

Aaron smiled to himself, appreciating his work for a few seconds, before heading over to retrieve his arrows. As he neared the first target he stopped, hand frozen in the air. His ears perked up sharply. Someone was in the room with him.

Aaron didn't hesitate as he turned, instincts on high alert, when his eyes laid on a figure leaning lazily on the doorway. It was a man at least a few inches taller than he was, with straight fiery red hair and a cut lip. The one thing that stood out from his appearance was his striking green eye, the other one was covered up underneath a grey eye patch. His clothes, although trendy in appearance, looked as if he'd just thrown them on. A long tail, as equally as red as his hair, swished slowly side to side, with it's long straight hair dangerously close to the floor. The two of them stared at each other for what seemed like a while before the taller one made his move. He stepped off from the doorway and raised his tattooed hand. With a tinge of laziness he traced intricate symbols in the air, tapping his fingers to the side of his head before he stopped, waiting for a response. It took the man a few more tries before Aaron fully understood what he meant.

This man couldn't hear, he's deaf!

Aaron could feel his face heat up in embarrassment, which only incited a wild smirk from the man before him. To try to make up for his obliviousness, Aaron did his best attempt at signing back to him, even though he sucked at it. He'd learned it from his mother, after seeing her talk with an elderly neighbor on one occasion. He'd thought it looked cool and basically begged her to teach it to him. Too bad his seven year old self didn't have the patience for it. It was a funny moment for Aaron as the two of them communicated, with each mess up on Aaron's part generating an amused snort from his newly acquainted friend. Surprisingly or unsurprisingly, that new friend of his turned out to be his partner. His name was Jackson Markey, a 25 year old huntsman gone rogue, and strangely enough he was a horse faunus.

The rest of those days before the mission was the two of them getting to know each other, along with Jackson doing the best he could to explain the situation to Aaron. The Schnee Dust Company was no stranger to corrupt executives, many of them were the heads of their own factories, lying about in their piles of Lien as their workers worked themselves to death. Apparently The White Fang got a hold of information from an unspecified source about an executive, by the name of Huan Porras, with alleged links to a number of faunus trafficking rings. The allegations are serious, as much as the horrible details, and if they were exposed to be true then The Schnee Dust Company could get major backlash against them. Aaron and Jackson were tasked with infiltrating Porras' headquarters to try and find any incriminating evidence, and report back. But if by chance Porras happened to be there, the higher ups were eager to turn a blind eye if anything were to happen to the man. Jackson seemed eager at the idea, while Aaron remained unsure.

* * *

On the evening of the mission, Aaron spent what was left of his time staring at a black suitcase on his bed. Shortly after he joined The White Fang he was gifted a small apartment for him and his sister, all equipped with running water, electricity and heat. Though he was extremely grateful for what the organization had done for him, he knew that this meant he was in debt to them. The only way that he could keep this apartment was to do missions, he knew this, so why was he still having doubts? Aaron stared at the open suitcase, eyes gazing over the dark uniform inside it. It wasn't your standard White Fang uniform, instead it was handcrafted for stealth. Aaron lifted the black mask with his hands, gingerly thumbing the faint red grim design. It certainly was more intimidating than the regular half masks the other soldiers wore,and hugged his face snugly.

"Brother?" Emilia's voice called from behind his bedroom door. Aaron quickly deposited the mask into the suitcase before walking towards the door, opening it to see his sister staring impatiently at him.

"What's wrong?" He asked. Emilia grabbed Aaron's free arm by the wrist, jerking it in the direction of their small kitchen.

"Food. Now!" She demanded, enunciating each word with vigor. Aaron felt as if someone had punched him in the gut. How in the world could he have forgotten to feed his sister?! Aaron was quick to apologize, rushing over to the kitchen to prepare whatever leftovers they had from last night. After a short while dinner was finally ready, and the two of them quickly sat to eat around the small dinner table. Aaron watched his sister fork down her food with a bemused smile, even as the thought of the mission lingered behind in his head. The moment was severed when the small scroll in his pocket rumbled.

"What now?" He grumbled, opening it to see fully. There was a message from Jackson that read:

 _/ Rendezvous at the meeting spot in fifty minutes /_

Aaron's eyes widened. "Fifty minutes?!" He breathed. Aaron looked up to see Emilia still focused on her food. He'd really hate to leave the girl behind, but what choice did he have? He couldn't bring her with him!

Aaron sighed, pushing the chair he sat on away from the table before standing. He took his empty plate into the kitchen to clean before trudging back out. Emilia stared at him with confused eyes, sauce splattered all over her cheeks. He cleaned her face with a napkin before breaking the news to her. Of course Emilia was upset, afraid to be left alone by herself, however Aaron reassured her. He pulled her into a tight hug, ruffling the hair on top of her head, before giving her his winning smile.

"I promise I'll make it up to you," He began. "How we go on an ice cream adventure tomorrow?"

"Ice cream adventure?!" Emilia beamed, eyes sparkling. Aaron nodded, extending a pinky finger for Emilia to shake. She looked at his pinky for what seemed like an eternity, before linking her small one with his.

"Deal? " She asked.

"Deal." Aaron confirmed, shaking their pinkies in one motion.

* * *

Aaron got dressed and ready in record time, leaving the house with thirty minutes to spare. By the time he met up with Jackson the day was leaning heavily on twilight, which made perfect conditions for them to slip by undetected The Vale headquarters for the Schnee Dust Company was big, but not as big as some other buildings in Vale. However, what made up for its size was it's security.

Aaron and Jackson crouched from their vantage point, on top of a tall building right across the empty street. Guards were posted in front of the gates, in the front courtyard, and others high above ground in watch towers. Jackson analyzed the area with his binoculars before passing it over to Aaron. He signed to Aaron that there were at least thirty guards posted, who knew how many there were inside. Jackson stood to his full height, rolling his shoulders as he brandished his weapons. They were dual black batons shaped as ton-fa, Aaron noted how similar they looked to the type the police used. Jackson signed to him, telling him to disable the watchtower guards by any means necessary.

"Got it." Aaron mumbled to himself as he pulled out his trusty bow. He could feel Jackson's confused eyes on him. Aaron shrugged playfully at the other. What could he say? Guns weren't just as fun as bows. Jackson rolled his eye before leaving Aaron to his own devices, scaling down the side of the building into darkness. Aaron focused onto his bow as he took a deep breath to calm his nerves. His eyes caught his partner's figure as he darted across the street. The man was fast, probably as fast as himself if he wasn't careful. Though Jackson's whole body had more meat than his, his legs were another story. They looked like they were built to take heavy damage and deal it back to anyone unfortunate enough to be in their path. I guess being a horse faunus gave some sense to it.

Jackson didn't bother focusing on the guards watching the gate, instead hopping over the fence in one jump. Aaron was surprised he didn't make any noise, but when he vanished out of sight Aaron knew he had to focus. Jackson could deal with the guards on the ground with no problem, the only problem for him would be the ones stationed high in those watchtowers. Aaron pulled an arrow out from his quiver. It wasn't the ones that he used regularly, instead it was one with a small compartment of dust installed inside of it. He had many of these custom made for any situation. These ones in particular were shock arrows, introducing a healthy amount of electricity to its victim to knock them out.

He sighed as he pulled back the bowstring, arrow balancing in his pointer finger. The bow's scope came to life, locking onto its first target in it's night vision. Aaron never needed it, as he could see fine at night without it, but he never complained. It only helped more than it hurt. Aaron waited three beats before he made his move, letting go of the arrow to watch it fly. It sped through the at a high velocity, catching it's target by surprise. The arrowhead opened up into a three fingered claw, latching onto the guards armor, as it delivered the electric shock. Even from his position Aaron saw the guard go down and not get back up.

"One down, five to go." He smirked. Aaron made quick work with the other guards, and before he knew it, the whole courtyard was silent. Aaron waited a few seconds, before determining that it was safe to cross. He fired a grappling arrow at the nearest structure, before sliding down the line using his bow as a handle. He dropped to the ground once he was close, rolling to a stop before taking a look around. Jackson stood in front of the front entrance with the security cameras on each side destroyed. He held up a stolen key card to the card reader by the side of the door, smiling as the reader gave him the green light. The automatic doors opened revealing three sets of shocked guards as Jackson rushed in. Aaron cursed as caught up running through the doors to see the chaos inside. It was clear that the guards were no match, missing each swing of their weapons to a that was way to fast for them to keep up. Jackson delivered a brutal sequence of hits to one, sending the poor soul flying into one of his friends. Jackson's baton cracked against the head of another and then another, before all of the guards laid unconscious.

Aaron couldn't help but stare in shock at the sight, the guy was just too good! If he could just give Aaron a few pointers Aaron was sure he'd be better than how is was then. The boy walked over to the other, as Jackson typed away at his scroll. Aaron tapped him twice on the shoulder to signify his presence, and Jackson gave the other a brief glance before signaling for Aaron to follow him. As the two approached the elevator, Jackson pulled out the building layout on his scroll. Porra's main office was on the sixth floor and was likely to be guarded by better trained soldiers. On the floor right above it was the housed the surveillance room. One of them had to go in and take care of the security cams to make sure no one would see them. Jackson advised that he'd be the one to go and take out the security, which left for Aaron to deal with the guards on the sixth floor. Unsurprisingly Aaron was horrified at the idea, but Jackson reminded him with a heated glare that he was more than capable of handling them. It was what Aaron signed up for after all, and if it came down to killing then so be it. Even as the doors to the sixth floor opened, Aaron still wasn't sure if he could do it.

The elevator chime brought the attention to one guard stationed down the hallway. As the man made his way over to the disturbance, he was quickly greeted with a muscled arm wrapped around his neck. Aaron pulled the other close, powering through the panicked gasps and punches until the guard fell silent. Once the coast was clear he carefully laid the guard down, checking his pulse at the slim chance he might've killed him. Aaron was relieved when he felt it. He made sure to hide the man's body in the janitor's closet before sneaking down further into the darkness. It took him a few minutes to find where he was going, but even so he made sure to make his movements as quiet as possible. Not too long after that Aaron reached a turn, and after poking his head around to peek, he saw his future destination. The executive's office was dead center in the hallway, with two gigantic guards posted on either side. It was no secret that they were robots, but by their new and sleek design he suspected that they'd might be a prototype of some sort. In fact he had seen that design before, in a news report about Atlas' military.

Aaron quickly went for one of his arrows as he got into position. There were only two options that he could think of for this situation. One would be to go in guns blazing, but Aaron didn't feel like getting his ass kicked in. So instead of that he opted with shooting one of them with his shock arrows. Even though it was inevitable that they'd find out about him, at least he had one less enemy to worry about.

"Here goes nothing!" He chirped, releasing the arrow into the air. It hit the nearest on the side of its head. The sudden electrical burst fried its circuits, allowing the hulking mass of metal to collapse to the floor in a heap. The second guard went into action, brandishing it's arms into dual revolving guns. It's all black body hid in the shadows except for the red highlights on it's face and breast plate.

 _INTRUDER REVEAL YOURSELF OR FACE TERMINATION_

It's robotic voice echoed against the hall's walls, causing a bead of sweat to fall down Aaron's cheek. Gun fire wasn't the easiest thing to avoid, one minor slip up could devolve into a world of hurt. Aaron didn't want that, but as he pressed himself against the wall, he knew that he had to move.

Aaron practically threw himself out into the open, jumping onto the side of the wall as bullets sped past him in waves. The robot tried to angle it's aim, only catching the after image of Aaron, before it was met with a boot to the face. The metal caved in under the foots pressure, nearly ripping the head out from its place. Aaron landed in a crouch, only standing after the robot's body fell with a loud clunk.

"Glad that's over-ack!" Aaron hissed, taking a look down at his left calf. Under the blue light of the moon was a bullet wound that cleaved right through his pant leg and flesh. His blood was flowing freely, creating a small stream down the rest of his leg and to the floor. Aaron ignored the pain as much as he could, approaching the double doors to the executive's office. His gloved hands carefully tried the door handles, but they refused, obviously.

"Wonderful." Aaron growled. Seeing that there was no other way in than force he slammed his shoulder against the wooden door, hard. With a woosh of air the doors opened, slamming against the inner walls at the force of Aaron's action.

The room was as anyone would expect a Schnee executives room to be, big, lavish, and with an over saturation of blue and white. Aaron took a brief look around the room, noting a door to the right that seemed to lead to a private bathroom.

"That's excessive." Aaron snorted as he made his way to an expertly crafted executive desk. Laid out on the top were neatly stacked papers and magazines, standing in the middle was a rather large desktop computer. Aaron wasn't the brightest around technology, but luckily he had the exact tool for this situation, or at least that's what he thought. Aaron rummaged through his utility belt again, feeling his heart starting to sink as his fingers didn't find what he wanted. His teeth worried at his lip as his eyes scoured the room in no particular direction.

 _The USB Port! WHERE WAS IT?!_

Jackson had gave him a USB stick to stick into the computer. The technical jargon mostly went over Aaron's head, but he was glad that he had something that would make his job easier. Now he lost it, and with each second he dreaded the appearance of his partner. Unluckily for him, Jackson waltzed right in at that moment. Aaron jumped up, hands behind his back, trying extremely hard to not appear anxious. But by the look on Jackson's face, he knew that he was failing. It took Aaron all of his strength to sign to Jackson his mistake, and as he waited for the other's response he was surprised to see Jackson's eye to roll in annoyance. Aaron almost took a step. Jackson wasn't mad?

Though the other's body language spoke total nonchalance, his eyes were another story. Aaron could clearly tell that Jackson was angry, but when Jackson revealed the USB port in his hand, Aaron realized that it was just a look of disappointment. It was Jackson's way for telling Aaron to not screw up again, and Aaron understood that. As Jackson walked up to the computer, he pointed Aaron in the direction of the open doors. He wanted Aaron to keep watch.

"Yessir!" Aaron chirped, mocking a salute as he began his walk over, nearly stumbling from the sudden pain in his left calf. It seemed that he forgot all about his little injury. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jackson analyzing his bullet wound with a mix of curiosity and frustration. Even with the limited emotion the other showed on his face it was clear that Aaron was going to get reprimanded once the mission was over. For what? Aaron didn't know. So he leaned against one of the opened doors just out of the doorway, watching Jackson work from afar. Aaron's tail swished to the side as his eyes fixated on the way Jackson's face scrunches up in front of the computer screen. Even from the short time he knew the man, it was weird seeing his bored face scrunch up with emotion. Aaron smiled to himself, in some ways he saw his father in the man, although he would never admit that.

However the simple moment was interrupted by something only Aaron's ear could detect, footsteps. They were small, hesitant, but determined, and that caused him to stiffen. Jackson must have noticed that something was up, because he ducked out of sight. The footsteps were too close for Aaron to move and not alert his presence so he settled to stay were he was, clutching the bow in his hand like a club as he raised it up high. His eyes locked onto the open doorway, controlling his breath as a shadow of a person caught against the moon's light. It was another guard, much younger than the ones Aaron and Jackson took down, and completely oblivious to what was going to happen next.

Aaron took the chance as soon as the other was within striking distance, chopping down with a force aimed not to kill, but to incapacitate. However the guard faster, faster than Aaron had expected. The bullet rang out from the guards gun, grazing Aaron's cheek as he dodged in the nick of time. The whole room slowed down, with the guards face frozen in shock and Aaron's face stiffening with relief. However he couldn't celebrate yet, because his mask clattered to the floor, and because the guard's eyes caught his face. Aaron quickly tackled the guard to the floor, pressing his face into the floor, but the damage was done. The mission was already tricky as it was, he didn't want for it to escalate as it was.

The two of them watched as Jackson rose up from behind the desk, apprehension on Aaron's part and fear in the others. In the back of Aaron's mind he already made the conclusion on how this was going to end, but he didn't want to acknowledge it. So keeping the rest of his weight on the guard below him, Aaron signed at Jackson, asking what he should do. Jackson's eyes never left Aaron as he pulled the USB out of the computer slot, he didn't have tell the other anything for him to get the message. Even so, Aaron was less than pleased. The guard was getting restless from underneath him, trying desperately to shove the faunus off. Aaron ignored the stream of curses from the guard's mouth as he looked into his eyes. The conversation he had back with the White Fang recruiter came back into his head. Her message was clear as day, echoing throughout Aaron's mind. Even though his heart told him not to, it was for the greater good. He had his sister to take care of, and if it meant killing for her then so be it. Aaron took one last look at the guard from underneath him as his hands found his neck.

"S-Sorry about this." Aaron muttered. The guards hands clawed against his murderer in desperation, his pleas for mercy transforming into incoherent gurgles. With a tight squeeze his screams went as quickly as they came, and Aaron watched the man below him fell limp. The guard's neck tilted upward at an awkward angle, staring into Aaron's eyes in frozen horror. Aaron released the body like it was hot lava, flinching as the head cracked against the floor.

The pregnant pause left Aaron speechless. The human's neck had crumbled easily underneath his grip, and for some reason it felt...good. Aaron wanted to throw up at the sudden thought, what was he thinking?! Finding any sort of joy from an action like that crossed so many lines that-that it made his skin crawl. Aaron's hands gripped his arms tightly, going white knuckled as he tried to get the thoughts from out of his head. He wasn't a bad person, he couldn't have been! It was just an unfortunate event and nothing more! Hot tears escaped his eyelids, trailing down his chin to drip onto the body below him.

"I-It's not my fault.." He gasped. "It's not..."

Even as Jackson forced him to his feet, it was still hard to move. It took Jackson three good pulls for it to work. Only after they cleaned up what was left of the crime scene did they leave, letting the guards body waist away on the cold unforgiving floor.

Jackson made no attempt at conversation during the travel home, Aaron was grateful for that. Emilia was sound asleep by the time Aaron returned, which gave him the perfect opportunity to shed the clothing that suddenly felt so disgusting to wear. Aaron stood under the hot shower for a while, not caring that his calf ached, or that the hot water left red splotches on his skin. Even after he addressed his gunshot wound and put on his night clothes, the blank eyes of that guard still came back in his mind. Aaron laid on top of the covers of his bed, pulling his knees to his chest. He stayed like that for the rest of the night.

* * *

 **...**

 **..well...**

 **I'm not sure how the aftermath of killing someone feels like, but I tried to make it at least a bit believable. What do you guy's think?**

 **Be sure to let me know!**

 **Until next time**

 **Ja Ne~**


	4. Awakening and Questioning

**Author's Note: College has kept me from focusing most of my time on my writing projects. Through the disgusting amount of homework I keep getting ideas for this story, and it's frustrating because I want to write.**

 **Anyway, with how things are going, I'm going to be introducing some stuff that has to do with formatting. Writing dialog for Jackson's character had been quite difficult, with him being deaf and all.  
**

 _"So when text is in italics like this,"_ **It means that someone is speaking in sign language.**

 **I expected to have demons and devils make an appearance in this chapter, but I guess it'll have to wait.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

The next day was quiet, Aaron heard absolutely nothing from the White Fang headquarters. It took him a whole hour of staring at his scroll to get the message into his head. As he laid back into his bed, he couldn't help but feel relieved, like an enormous weight was lifted right off of his chest. The emotions he had pent up from the night before were still there, still lingering in the back of his mind, but knowing that'd he get a small breather to recuperate was grand. It wasn't like he was used to killing before.

Aaron grimaced at the word, squeezing his eyes closed. It shouldn't have bothered him, but for some reason it did. He'd been taught to hunt by his father from a very young age, and was used to butchering and killing animals, but this was another thing entirely. Aaron knew that Remnant wasn't a safe place, the amount of Grimm attacks on a regular basis proved that, but the fact that some people would consider to take the lives of another intelligent being? What was even worse for Aaron was the feeling that sparked the moment he did it.

He felt joy.

Joy, absolute joy. It was small, minuscule, but in those slow seconds Aaron was quick to notice. It was like a jolt of adrenaline, running like a hot fire through his veins, and it made him want to vomit. Aaron sucked in a quick breath of air as he tried to rid himself from the awful thoughts, only to realize how hard he was clenching the covers underneath him. His fingernails had dug in deep, making large tares that resembled claw marks, this was another thing he had to get used to. Aaron had noticed it the second day after he left his home village, whenever he got agitated his nails would sharpen into sharp claws. They could easily tear into anything with little effort, and were incredibly hard to keep in check. Aaron regulated his breathing, feeling an overwhelming wave of calm wash over him. In a beat his claws were gone, returning to their regular human-like state. He sucked in another breath, forcing his head back down on his pillow harder than before. He couldn't let this get to him, this was what he signed up for anyway.

"Brother?" A small and tired voice called, outside Aaron's bedroom door. He sucked in a breath, checking the digital clock resting on the bedside dresser.

"Shit." He cursed, he forgot to drop off Emilia at school that day.

"C-can I come in?" Emilia asked. Aaron frowned at the strange question, rubbing his eyes as he sat up from his spot.

"Sure." He yawned.

The doorknob jiggled slightly before turning completely, letting the wooden door to go free and open up after a light shove. Emilia stood awkwardly in the middle of the doorway, with her purple pajamas on and blanket in hand, not the standard school uniform Aaron was expecting.

"Why aren't you in your school cloths?" Aaron asked, rising to his feet. Emilia cocked her head to the side, faunus ears twitching among-st the messy black bedhead framing her face. She gave him a weird look, like he suddenly sprouted three heads.

"It's Saturday." She said.

Aaron froze where he stood, ears and tail shooting up at attention before dropping back down. His skin flushed a deep red as he glanced away from his sister. How could he have forgotten?! One look at his scroll only confirmed Emilia's claim. Aaron gave his sister a sheepish grin.

"My bad, I had a long night." Through his grin Aaron noticed Emilia striking glances at his left leg every so often. He followed her gaze, before his eyes landed on the medical tape and gauze that covered his upper calf. He was shot there, by that stupid robot no less. It was a miracle that he got home, which made him even more grateful for Jackson. Though the heated glances the other gave him on the way did unnerve him a bit. Throughout the night his wound gave him trouble, and even though it was closed up by now the pain was still it being a dull ache. Aaron smiled at his sister's concern, crossing the distance between them before kneeling to her level. He ruffled her hair, making it more of a mess than it needed to be, and giving her a more soft yet heartfelt smile.

"I'm fine Emilia, honest, now what's the real reason you wanted to talk to me?" Aaron asked. A loud grumble shattered the warm moment, causing Emilia to shoot her gaze down at the floor with a blush. Aaron laughed, standing up to his full height, ignore the discomfort from his left calf.

"It's no better time for breakfast I guess? But seriously Emilia if you were hungry you don't half to wait for me to get up, just ask." Aaron frowned. Emilia nodded, eyes still facing the ground, but with a smile on her lips. Aaron to that as a good sign and grabbed Emilia by the wrist before leading her down the hall.

"Let's go make something good!" He chirped.

* * *

The breakfast they had was simple: a few strips of bacon, a glass of orange juice; and poached eggs. Yet, the process in which it was made was the most fun that they had in awhile. It was just the two of them, sharing a nice and touching moment together like family. Which was strange since they were family, they were tied by blood. However, for the longest time fractured and incomplete, since two of the most important pieces were stripped away. As Aaron looked at the happy and excited face of his sister, he couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. He knew he couldn't replace them, he saw how emotional his sister got whenever they were mentioned. Death was still a strange concept to her, and having her innocence shattered like that rubbed aaron the wrong way. Even so, he had to keep the memory of his parents alive. They were too important to forget about, Aaron couldn't even think he could forget about them even if he tried.

"Brother?"

Emilia's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He realized that he'd been staring intently at the eggs cooking in the pan, much to Emilia's amusement. Aaron ruffled her hair again, causing the girl to laugh, which made him smile. He'd do anything to keep moments like these be the norm, no matter how short.

"Is it done yet?" Emilia asked, bouncing on her toes to get a good look at the pan. Aaron used one arm to shield her from the stove, chastising her for playing around something dangerous.

"Almost," He began. "Sit your butt down at the table so I can get your plate ready!"

"Yay!" Emilia beamed, skipping over to the small table to be fed. Aaron shook his head as he turned back to the food when he heard a knock from the front door. He froze, hand hovering against the stove dial as his ears perked up. There was another knock, steady, calculated, and with a strange pattern and rhythm. Aaron wasn't expecting any visitors, especially not at this hour. Despite himself being a self described charmer he wasn't exactly friendly with anyone in his apartment complex, which made this situation all the more concerning. He quickly turned the fire on the stove, turning around to see Emilia's confused face. She'd heard it too. Aaron gave her a serious look, moving a finger to his lips.

" .there." He whispered intently, enunciating each word. His sister nodded sharply, watching as Aaron disappeared out of sight. He stalked up to the front door, making his footsteps as quiet as possible. The peephole in the upper middle of the frame felt intimidating and unnerving at the same time, and as Aaron pressed his face against it he felt even more unnerved. However his feelings of unease were short lived once he laid eyes on the warped figure on the other side of the door.

It was Jackson.

An overwhelming sense of relief flooded through Aaron's shoulders, but as he unlocked the door a nagging question tugged at his brain.

Why was he there?

Aaron opened the door with that question in mind, putting a happy smile on his face as he greeted his mentor. Jackson was dressed up in casual yet practical clothing: a closed bomber jacket with cargo pants and combat boots. A bit too dressy for a lay Saturday morning is Aaron was concerned, all he had on was a white loose tank top and baggy sweatpants. Aaron cocked his head to the side as he signed his confusion to Jackson. Jackson stared back at him as if he were the biggest idiot in the world, before pointing to his scroll in his hand.

Oh.

" _You texted me?"_ Aaron signed.

" _Yes you idiot."_ Jackson signed back with a deadpan look. " _Can I come inside?"_

Aaron was taken aback by the sudden ask, looking around at the apartment subconsciously. It wasn't the best looking thing in the world, but Aaron had tried his best to make it look at least clean. Aaron nodded wordlessly before stepping aside.

" _Make yourself at home."_ He signed, watching Jackson intently as he walked in.

"Brother, who is that?"

Aaron spun around, shocked to see his sister standing in the kitchen doorway. Jackson stared back at her, and from what Aaron could tell, he was incredibly surprised if a raised eyebrow said anything.

"I thought I told you to stay in the kitchen!" Aaron groaned, fingers itching to pinch the bridge of his nose. Releasing his fingers, he found Jackson staring at him as well. It looked like introductions were in order.

" _That's my baby sister."_ Aaron signed. Jackson nodded, looking back at Emilia with calculated eyes.

"Emilia, this is Jackson. He's a friend."

"A friend?"

"Yeah."

Emilia narrowed her eyes playfully, cocking her head to the side. She didn't say anything, instead she walked back into the kitchen, giving one last glance at the two of them. Aaron sighed, knowing that he'd get tons of questions after this was over. He hadn't been truthful to his sister about what exactly he did. He managed to convince her that he goes on hunts sporadically for money, though now he wasn't sure that she believed him anymore. He could feel Jackson's eyes boring into the back of his head, so he turned his attention back to him.

" _Why did you come here?"_ He signed.

" _Where's your aura?"_ Jackson signed back, bypassing Aaron's question, eyes glued to the bandages on Aaron's calf. Aaron froze at the question,suddenly feeling very self-conscious. He was never asked about his aura before, it never even came up to him at any time. However it wasn't like he knew what an aura was, as far as he knew his own father had his own unlocked for a number of years. Despite his constant pestering his father was against unlocking Aaron's aura. He brushed it off with the clam that he wouldn't need it unless became a huntsman. Unfortunately it looked like he'd need it regardless now. Aaron rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

" _I haven't unlocked mine yet."_ He signed.

Jackson's face scrunched up in a mix of confusion and anger, the most emotion that Aaron saw from him as of late. In the back of his mind Aaron couldn't help but find it funny to be told off in sign language, of course he'd never tell that to Jackson.

" _You must have a serious death wish to go off into combat without your aura to protect you! Are you retarded?!"_ Jackson was visibly fumming, with a glare so intense that it made Aaron finch back an inch.

" _But I'm used to not having an aura! Through my training I've managed to keep myself out of any serious trouble, I just thought that..."_ Aaron trailed off from his explanation, watching as Jackson rubbed his forehead in frustration. After a beat of silence Jackson motioned him to come closer, not even opening his eyes to face him. Aaron obliged, closing the gap between them when Jackson's hand rested on the top of his head. Aaron almost reeled back on reflex, but the muscles on Jackson's arms held firm and kept him in place. Aaron glanced at the man warily, not taking the invasion of his privacy lightly, but Jackson grumbled with enough intensity to keep him quiet. The two of them stood there for what felt like an eternity, until something weird happened.

Jackson's body began to glow, lightly, but enough to make out a green outline. It traveled fast from his head, trailing up his arm until it surrounded the hand resting on his head. Something strange pooled around Aaron, slowly seeping in and sending a small shiver down his spine. The sensation was strange but comforting, like falling asleep in a crinkling pile of autumn leaves. Aaron glanced at his arms and was surprised to see not a green outline, but a yellow one.

This was his aura, his own aura!

The strange event ended as quickly as it came and with a slight pulse Jackson's hand was gone, returning to his side as his shoulders slumped down. Aaron felt winded as well, letting go a breath he didn't know he held in. After a few more seconds of panted breath, Jackson looked up at him with a small smile.

" _You're welcome."_ He signed.

Aaron smirked, knowing full well that Jackson was going to train his ass into the ground to get a good grasp on his aura. Until then he should just be grateful that Jackson even thought to do something like this.

"Brother, are you done?! The breakfast is cold!"

"Shit!" Aaron cursed, flinching at his sister's hungry whine. He began to turn to the kitchen before stopping in thought. He turned back to Jackson.

"Do you want something to eat? We were just about to start breakfast." He offered. Jackson frowned, lifting up his hand to deny when a loud grumble escaped from his stomach to the air. Even though Jackson couldn't hear it, he could still feel it. Jackson looked to the side so that his red hair was shielding his face, trying his best to keep a neutral expression. Aaron rested a hand on his shoulder and gave the older man the saddest puppy dog eyes he could muster.

Jackson's hard shell cracked in a few long seconds.

* * *

Aaron was back in action the next monday with Jackson, completing new missions back to back. It wasn't as lax as he hoped it would be but it did help him redirect the storm of emotions in his gut to something else. Over time he slowly got over his first kill and as more of them piled on, he eventually became comfortable with it. During their small training sessions, Jackson taught Aaron how to switch off unnecessary emotions from clouding his judgment. It was to keep him from hesitation, something that could decide your life and death, but sadly Aaron just couldn't get it right. Aaron's empathy was just to hardwired into his brain to shut off, even if he tried. The best way for him to even complete his missions was to picture the people on the receiving end as monsters, as Grimm.

It worked, though a bit too well to say the least.

As life went on Aaron began to make a small name for himself in The White Fang Community in Vale, unbeknownst to him. Many of the members dubbed him 'Two-Face' because the extreme polarization of his personality both on and off battle. When he was on the field he was calm, calculating, and vicious, while off the field he was charismatic, cocky, and immature. Though some of his off field personality traits bled over, he was largely a different person when in action.

However it wasn't until two years later when Aaron's status reached someone highly regarded in The White Fang's Vale Branch: Adam Taurus.

In those two years, Aaron saw the world around him change. There was an overwhelming sense of darkness, Grimm levels were on the rise and it cause an expected fear. People stayed under the protection of the major cities, with the only brave ones venturing out being established huntsmen. Even so, it was obvious that they weren't the only ones. Small villages outside of the cities protective walls were under attack from bandits, many of them being killed for valuables while others were taken as slaves.

It was during these times that Aaron saw a different side of The White Fang. It was vicious, more radical than it had been when he first joined. Aaron had heard whispers about how the Vale branch was viewed. Since it was further away from the main headquarters on Menagerie, that allowed the appointed leaders to take up more independent strides. Though it wasn't stated outright, many of the members were growing increasingly wary of their leader Adam Taurus, and it wasn't hard to see why. While still having his incredible tactical and passionate sides, his sadistic and ruthlessness tendencies have become more pronounced. Now Aaron hadn't met the man personally, but even he was concerned about whether their leader was competent enough to stay charge.

Aaron had vented out his thoughts to Jackson, and while the other pushed much of his thoughts aside, it was clear that Jackson believed him to some degree. So when Aaron got the call to meet with the Vale branch leader, it was easy to say that he was terrified. It wasn't often for someone like Adam to take interest in a specific recruit, often because he was too busy with planning or completing missions with that Belladonna girl. But seeing that Adam took interest in him, Aaron knew he couldn't mess this up.

His life was most likely on the line.

Adam's campsite was tucked away in a forest with beautiful red flora. The heavy set trees branched out, tuffed with leaves an incredible shade of crimson. Aaron's hike there was quiet and filled with anxiety, only lessened by Jackson's presence beside him. He was grateful for the older man accompanying him for the moral support, even if he didn't show it. As they entered the camp, it was already crawling with White Fang personnel. After a short stop checking their identification from the entrance guards the two men were in the clear.

"You must be Two-Face." A female voice called out. A young woman walked out in front of the two of them, arms crossed her black buttoned vest. Her black hair fell down to her back, bobbing to the sides as she walked, air catching the neat bow on top of her head. With her cold yellow eyes and signature chain scythe strapped to her back, it was quick to tell who she was. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Miss Belladonna, It's an honor!" Aaron mustered a grin, bowing halfheartedly at the woman in front of him. He could feel Jackson giving him an annoyed glare from the side, but it looked like she didn't care for formalities.

"Please don't call me that," She sighed. "Blake's fine."

"Whatever you say, I'd also be cool if you called me Aaron." He asked, drawing an eye roll from Blake.

"Anyway, Adam's down here. He'll be glad to know you're on time." She deadpanned, walking away at a set pace. "Follow me." The two quietly followed, passing glances at the rest of the White Fang members posted around.

Adam's tent stood out like a sore thumb. It was bigger than the rest, colored in a dull shade of brown. The soft light of lanterns bled out through the small crack in the opening, and the sounds of a heated discussion grew louder as they neared. Blake stopped two feet away, holding a hand out for Aaron and Jackson to stop as well.

"Stay here," She whispered. "I'll let him know you've arrived." Aaron nodded, watching as she disappeared through the tent entryway. The heated discussion in the tent ended abruptly, and after a few seconds of silence a strange group of humans appeared from the entrance. Aaron's ears lowered instinctively as he moved out of the way. The three of them gave of a vibe that he didn't want near him and the leader, a pale and black haired woman, seemingly smiled at his discomfort. Aaron watched silently as the group left and as he turned around, questions lingered in his brain.

"Come in, please." A male voice called out with an exasperated sigh. "And excuse my attitude."

The inside of the tent seemed to be bigger than the outside, with steel drums lining the lining the walls. On the center wall was map of the entirety of Remnant and in front of it stood a tired and angry Adam Taurus. Blake stood off to the side, near another large white fang member with a unique Grimm mask. Other White Fang operatives stood at ready, weapons pointed downward but out where they could be seen. Jackson knelt to the floor while giving a look for Aaron to follow his lead, Aaron obliged.

"You've caused quite a stir among the ranks, I can't help but say I'm impressed." Adam praised as he paced back and forth, slowly analyzing Aaron's every fidget behind the half mask of his. "There have only been a few recruits with natural talent such as yours, but don't let that get to your head." Adam stopped his pacing to stand tall in the middle of the tent, watching Aaron with a permanent frown.

"Natural talent can only go so far, and I'll be dead before I let someone go off on their own with only hearsay as leverage. I want you to prove yourself, show me what you learned from your training if anything." Adam commanded.

Aaron shifted under the others intense gaze. The eyes of the onlookers only added to the rising stress in his system, making him open his mouth to voice out his thoughts.

"And what do you want me to do exactly?" He asked. Adam's frown quirked.

"As you know many of our brother's and sisters have been discriminated over the years and while kidnappings have been an occurrence, there's been a startling incline in the recent months. Most are quick to blame lawless bandits, but I think we're dealing with something greater." Adam turned around to face the world map. "There have been several spots where Grimm have totally avoided trespassing, however all of our scouts that we've sent haven't returned. I'm sure you realize how troublesome that is."

"So you want me to investigate? By myself?" Aaron felt his skin pale at the thought.

"No, that'd be a stupid thing to do. I've assigned a small entourage to accompany you, to asses whether whether you'll be capable of handling further missions. Jackson won't be accompanying you I'm afraid, but it's for the best." Adam explained, turning back around to face Aaron. After a few silent seconds, he motioned for the two to rise. They got up soundlessly, standing at attention as Adam crossed the distance between him and Aaron, he stopped only a foot away. His stare unnerved Aaron, but he stood his ground, locking eyes with the other. Adam's frown deepened.

"I'm a man who values excellence Aaron Wolfe, that also means that I _**despise**_ failure." Adam stressed, figuratively looming over Aaron. "Don't mess this up, it'll be a shame to see great potential go to waste."

"Yes sir." Aaron agreed. Adam stepped back, giving Aaron one last calculating look. With a sigh he turned his back towards him, waving off a single hand in their general direction.

"Get them out of my sight." The command was short, but to the point. The White Fang operatives around them stiffened, all letting out a collective response. Two soldiers branched off gesturing at the tent entrance for them to get a move on. Aaron took a last look at Blake, who's face was impressively blank. However, in her eyes there was a small hint of frustration and...and worry? Aaron couldn't dwell on it too long, because he was walking down the path he came in and eventually left the camp with Jackson by his side.

The two of them were silent for the most of the trek back to Vale, something that Aaron grew increasingly accustomed to over the years. With one glance at Jackson from the corner of his eye, he knew that something was troubling him. It wasn't until they reached Vale when Aaron broke the silence.

 _"You alright?"_ He signed. The older man stared at him for a while before replying.

 _"You need to be_ careful." Jackson warned. _"Something about this isn't right."_

Aaron cocked his head to the side. What could have gotten Jackson so worked up?

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"Call it a hunch, but don't let your emotions take control of you. I won't be there to calm you down."_ Jackson's eyes stared down at Aaron, filled with worry. Aaron laughed, lightly punching the other's shoulder. _  
_

 _"I didn't know that you cared that much!"_ He smiled

 _"Take this seriously dammit!"_

* * *

 **Well that was a dozy! Adam and Blake's characters were really hard to write. Don't expect them to make another appearance until later down the line. I wasn't planning on Cinder and her crew making an appearance but what the heck, now that Aaron know of there existance it's going to get a bit more interesting.**

 **Until next time!**

 **Ja Ne~**


	5. Meetings

**Author's Note: Sorry about the long gap between uploads. College has really worn me out and my mood had dampened because of it. I've been feeling incredibly negative recently and it shows in my writing, so sorry about that. at least my creative gears are in motion now. This chapter was sitting incomplete for a while and in the past day and a half I finally got around finishing it. It's not the greatest but I'm okay with how it turned out.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Aaron sat at his small kitchen table, hands fiddling over a cup of black coffee. Adam Taurus' words hung heavily in the back of his mind, obliging him to take a big swig of the scalding liquid before him. The coffee burned his tongue before sliding back into his throat, giving his mind a good wake up punch. Aaron had spent the remainder of his free time preparing for his latest mission. His anxiety had gotten the better of him, compelling him to devote hours upon hours hunting Grimm to calm his shaky nerves. It was a risky move, something that Jackson was sure to beat into his thick skull, but he did it anyway and his skills improved. Aaron sighed, leaning back further into the wooden chair, gazing at the dim ceiling. Two weeks had passed, and it wasn't until yesterday evening when he had gotten the call. The voice on his phone was distinctly familiar, hidden by an unnerving monotone tone. Aaron couldn't help but wonder where he had heard it before.

He was up at an outrageous time in the morning, four forty-five to be exact. He only had thirty more minutes before he had to rendezvous with the group at a specific point. He wasn't sure why he was still sitting in the kitchen. Maybe his nerves were getting the best of him, maybe he was beginning to have second thoughts. He almost texted Jackson, but realized the older man might not want to talk him. Jackson was never an early bird, unless it was needed for him to be. Aaron didn't feel like getting chewed out by a deaf man at this hour.

"As much as I'd like to stay..." He muttered, standing up almost reluctantly. The gear he had on felt like heavy weights being pressed on his chest, even though he was sure they were as light as he'd assembled them. The outfit was distinctly a ranger type but with a modern flair, colored with different shades of greens and browns to blend in with nature. The only that stood out was his yellow beanie that matched the color of his eyes. He fidgeted with the fingerless gloves on his hands as he double checked everything.

"Bag? Check! Underwear? Check! Quiver and bow? Check!"Aaron proclaimed as he went over the mental list in his head. Once his bag was backed he felt as if he was ready but, he nearly overlooked one thing. He turned his eyes towards the direction of Emilia's room. He always thought they were getting along, but he wasn't dense. He recognized the looks that she gave him whenever she thought he wasn't looking. The frustration in her eyes whenever he had to go. It was clear what she wanted, but she had to realize this was the best for the both of them. Aaron only hoped that she would understand when she was older. The least he could do was say goodbye before he left.

Emilia's room was still dark, save for the blue light that escaped from the crack in the blinds. It was relatively small, but filled with plushies and keepsakes that she had accumulated over the years. Her favorite color was purple, and it was easily shown everywhere, on the walls even on her bed covers. She was bundled up underneath her bed sheets, emitting a light set of snores. Aaron almost didn't want to disturb her, but he knew it was for the best. He crossed the distance between them in silence before kneeling down, smoothing the hair away from her forehead. The motion swayed her out of her slumber and Emilia groaned, letting out a large yawn as her eyes opened. She was still half asleep, but she still smiled when she saw Aaron's shadowed face. She batted away his hand half heartedly.

"What?" She whined, yanking the covers over her face. Aaron chuckled, pulling the covers back down to capture a complete look at his sister. The young girl protested, but didn't fight back in the slightest. Instead, she looked at him with tired and confused eyes. Aaron took this as a moment to speak.

I just wanted to say goodbye." He huffed. As expected, Emilia didn't bear the news well. She looked absolutely devastated.

"Y-You'e leaving?!" She gasped. Aaron immediately felt awful, the small girl looked like she was going to burst into tears in seconds. He had to deescalate the situation fast.

"Relax kid; I won't be gone for long!" Aaron consoled her, petting the top of her head. Emilia leaned into the touch, eventually burying her head in the middle of Aaron's chest. The two of them stayed like that for a short while with Aaron not wanting to disturb her, even though his time with her was quickly waning. Emilia's shoulders started to shake. She was mumbling something.

"Speak up, I can't hear you with my shirt in your mouth." Aaron advised. Emilia pulled away, tear stains streaking down her flushed cheeks. She made a few sniffles as Aaron wiped the tears away with his thumb.

"Y-You can't even stay to celebrate my birthday with me!" She cried. Aaron's whole body froze in place. Emilia observed his sudden shift in body language, and her face morphed into utter disappointment.

"You forgot?" It wasn't even a question, more like a confirmation on her part. Aaron wanted to negate the fact, but he'd rather not dig himself into a deeper hole. Emilia's shoulder's sagged, and she stared at the sheets covering her lower half. Negativity was rolling off of her in waves, and it hurt for Aaron to see her like this. All of this preparation for his mission caused him to forget the birthday of his sister, and that crushed him.

"I'm so-so sorry...I'll make it up to you."He muttered. Emilia didn't even look from her spot.

"Are you sure?" She asked, her voice almost a whisper. Aaron bit his lip before snaking a hand around her small one, squeezing it.

"I promise."

* * *

Aaron's mood was sour by the time he left the apartment, it was only made worse by the sudden downpour of rain.

"Great, just great." He growled. There was no time to go back and get a good coat. The only weather resistant clothing he wore was a short brown cloak. He pulled the hood over his head as he hopped from rooftop to rooftop, all the way to the southeast of the city. Emilia was still on his mind, even as he left for the meeting point. She had school that day, so at least she wouldn't be stuck home alone. But even so he hoped that Jackson would pay a visit, Emilia gained a fondness to the other man that surprised Aaron. When they first properly had a conversation, it never turned out well, time worked in mysterious ways he guessed.

By the time the rain changed to a drizzle, Aaron had stopped on a rooftop of an abandoned building. Out around him was the part of the city that he knew the most well. There was no real name for it, but the average citizen knew it's infamous reputation to never stick around too long. Even with the occasional huntsmen and police patrols, crime found its way; Aaron saw it first hand. He hated the idea of the meeting spot to be here of all places, but it was the perfect spot for a group of Faunus to gather and not look suspicious. He scanned the area until he spotted it fifty yards away: the barred windows of the Nevermore Pub. He couldn't help but laugh, anyone who'd name their business after a Grimm had to have a serious death wish.

He scaled down the building silently, before trekking down the sparsely populated streets. He pulled at the hood over his head a second time, more out of necessity. He didn't need anyone recognizing him. As he walked, the hair on the back of his neck stood up. Someone was watching him and that was never good sign. He took another two steps before his ears picked up something. Whatever it was it speeding his way, fast. Aaron spun around, reflexes picking up his arms as his hands caught two mysterious objects thrown at him. His heart pounded in his chest after the rush of adrenaline. Whoever that tried to attack him was not subtle at all. Under the dim light of the sky, he opened his palms to reveal two daggers. Just then, a low whistle came out of an alley mouth a few feet in front of him.

"Those are some impressive reflexes; I knew you'd turn out fine." It was a distinctly effeminate voice, one that felt familiar to Aaron. He hesitated, stepping back slightly as a figure emerged out of the darkness. Their who appearance was covered by a cloak similar to the one he had on, but longer. The hood covered most of their face but it was safe to say that the person in front of him was a woman.

"Who are you? And how'd-"

"How did I throw those?" She asked, asking his question for him. Aaron nodded cautiously. The woman stared at him for a few seconds before her lips slowly turned into a smile

"That wasn't my doing at all. You can thank my friend Lector here for that." She motioned to the space next to them as if a person was standing there. Aaron squinted his eyes, not sure what they were referring too, until the space started to distort. Suddenly the image of an average sized man came into view, decked out in stylish a cropped jacket, pants, boots, and gloves. Between his legs swished a raven colored tail, the same color as his hair. Lector gave him a quick wink, green eyes flashing with mischief.

"Who are you guys?" Aaron asked warily.

"You don't recognize me?" The woman sounded taken aback. Aaron scoured through the back of his head to try and match their voice to people he met. Nothing came out of it, and he was starting to get a bit aggravated.

"Absolutely not." He growled.

"Maybe this would help." She sighed, pulling back the hood of her cloak. Aaron's mind clicked, finally pinpointing why her voice felt so familiar. Standing before him was the woman that recruited him into the White Fang in the first place, but somehow she seemed...different. Her short blonde hair had grown out considerably, now tied up in a loose ponytail that hung off of her right shoulder. Her whole body had gained both in height and in attractiveness. Even with most of her body concealed by the cloak, Aaron could say that she was incredibly pretty. Yet as his eyes continued to move, he couldn't help but look into her eyes. For some mysterious reason he couldn't look away, it was like they were pulling him down into a deep abyss.

It was unnerving.

A drop of sweat rolled down his cheek, for some strange reason he had a feeling that she wasn't right. He just couldn't put a finger on why. The woman gave him a coy smile.

"Stop staring, you're embarrassing yourself."

Aaron couldn't avoid the blush that rose out of his cheeks. Lector fell into a bit of a laughing fit next to his partner. Aaron ignored him and tried to regain all the dignity he had left.

"Anyway," He coughed. " What the hell is this?" He held up the daggers in his hands. The whole situation was starting to confuse him. They attacked him and then started up a conversation like it wasn't any big deal. "If you just wanted to talk, there're better was of doing it!"

The woman chuckled as she gestured over to the daggers in Aaron's hands. "Think of it as a test; Many people can say that they have truly improved their skills but you won't really know unless you test it."

"So you thought attacking me was okay?! Are you out of your mind?!"

"Calm your panties dude! It's not the first time the boss has done something stupid like this." Lector smirked as he gave a side eye to his leader. The woman shot frowned as she glance over at him "Don't forget that you're the one who threw those in the first place." She stated. Aaron shook his head in annoyance. His day was starting out in an unusual pace. He hadn't even got to meet with his assigned group yet.

Unless...

Aaron's thoughts were disrupted when three other people joined the gathering. A man and a woman landed in the middle of the gap in the side walk, without a care in the world. They wore wore identical clothing and on close inspection, it was clear that they were twins. The two of them stared at Aaron curiously before joining Lector and the mysterious woman in their circle. A few seconds later, a tall burly man stepped out the same alleyway the woman did before. On his back were two dust shotguns strapped to his back. He looked over at Aaron and nodded.

"Is this the guy?" He asked, most likely to the cloaked woman.

"Wait...Your the guys I'm supposed to go with?!" Aaron yelled.

The tall man shot an annoyed look at his leader. "What did you do?" He groaned. "Please don't say it was one of your 'tests'."

"What do you think genius? She does this all the time!" Lector snickered.

"Don't get smart with me!"

"We think it's funny." The twins said simultaneously.

"Alright, QUIT IT!" Aaron yelled. The chatter stopped dead in it's tracks, leaving only the sounds of Aaron huffing in frustration. "Can we just get this over with?!"

"My, my, straight to the point I see, well I guess introductions are in order." The leader smiled as she gesturing over to Lector. "As you know, this is Lector," She began, motioning absentmindedly to the tall man next to her with a prehensile tail. "These other three are Lincoln, Jasper, and Flint respectively." The newly introduced members gave Aaron a slight nod in acknowledgement. The woman put a hand on her chest. "You can call me Dahlia."

"Finally, so when do we leave?"Aaron asked.

"We leave now."

* * *

After Delilah's command, the group made their way out to the outskirts of Vale. Their pace was fast, even though they were all traveling on foot. Aaron had to concentrate to keep up with the rest of the group since their speed nearly rivaled with his own. The amount of Grimm they all came across was fewer than Aaron expected, but their power ranged exceedingly above the ones he found by himself. It was during those small skirmishes when Aaron saw the silent teamwork weaving in through the group. Each and every member worked off one another like it was second nature. The display of combat skill got Aaron thinking, at how wide the gap between him and the rest were. It was startling at first, but the fire inside of him to get stronger grew. In the long run, the group found a spot to set up camp and rest.

The sun was still in the sky, shining down onto the ground below. Luckily for everyone the shade from the trees block out any unwanted rays. Aaron sat legs crossed on the ground, stretching out his arms and legs from stress. The rest of the group were doing their own things. Delilah was sitting broken tree log with her eyes closed, seemingly contemplating something. The itch to ask was bubbling up Aaron's throat, but as he sat there he thought back to the conversation he had with Adam. He thought back to those brief moments of him in that imposing tent an the words that stuck with him. It was bad enough to know that the scouts that Adam had sent were missing, but to know that Grimm were intelligently avoiding specific spots? That unnerved him, completely. The big question was Why? What was causing this? Aaron broke from his thoughts, looking over at the mulling group before him. In that moment he thought that maybe, just maybe someone knew something that would cure his deepening curiosity.

"So," He drawled, poking at the ground with a random large stick "Do you guys know why the Grimm are acting strangely?"

"The hell are you talking about?" Lincoln asked, not looking up from cleaning his weapon-a simple sword. The man's tail swished absentmindedly from behind him to an unknown beat. At that moment Aaron had the sudden urge to throw the stick in his hands at the man's head.

"You don't know? It's what Adam told me! He said that Grimm had actively been avoiding random areas in the continent!"Aaron insisted with an ever growing frown. His explanation stopped any activity going on in the camp site. Lincoln shot up from his slouched posture, giving a critical eye Aaron's way. Delilah was out of her thoughts, biting at her lip as if she wanted to get something out of her chest. Flint noticed her body language and snapped the tension in the air with an exasperated groan.

"Don't you start!" He rolled his eyes. Delilah shot him a look and pursed her lips.

"He has to know!" She stressed, not only looking at Flint, but the rest of the group. Delilah was met with a mix uncertain stares and frustrated resignation. Seeing that no one was going to stop her she turned her focus back to Aaron. Aaron's curiosity had skyrocketed to unknown levels at that point. The stick he clutched in his hand was cracking under the pressure as he opened his mouth.

"Know what?" He asked. Delilah let a pregnant pause pass before she answered.

"Their re...Rumors."

Aaron cocked his head to the side. "Rumors?" He repeated in confusion. Delilah sighed as she rested her elbows on her knees, leaning to clasp her hands in a contemplative pose. She had stared into the fire before she continued.

""It's said that there are more things out there than just Grimm. Things that could put a Goliath to shame. Neither of us have experienced a great deal of these things but stories travel. However, when those stories involve people close to us it becomes harder not to believe."She explained.

"But what could be worse than Grimm?" Aaron asked.

"Demons, that's what." Lincoln stated matter-of-factly. Aaron was stunned.

Demons? Seriously?

Religious affiliation aside, it was quite rare to find any one in Vale that believed in such a concept Grimm filled that role already. To say that there was another force of nature bound on causing suffering for both the human and faunus races was absurd. Aaron gave an incredulous glance at Lincoln to look at the others.

"You don't believe this, do you?" He asked. They offered no answer to his question. Even Flint, who showed disdain for Delilah's thoughts before she spoke was looking away with a bitter look. It was then where Aaron had a sinking feeling in his stomach. Maybe this wasn't as bizarre as he thought. He looked back at Delilah for any sign of doubt, or a joke, but she wasn't was dead serious.

Uh Oh.

"No matter what you believe, the fact is that something is out there. I'll let you know now, I used to be a huntress. I have had friends and colleagues killed under bizarre circumstances void of any signs of Grimm attack. I've witnessed the results with my own eyes and can assure you that no Grimm attack could have produced many of those things that I've seen. Even so, you technically shouldn't go with the stories you hear, no matter how hard you want to believe them. Experience is key, but that's why we all need to tread carefully."Delilah stopped, glancing around at the group with a blatant warning in her eyes.

"I'd hate for anything to happen to you all, but we all know what comes with the job we do. Aaron, remember what I've said and remember it well."She stopped again, raising herself until she sat up right with her eyes focused on the sky.

"We should go."

"Now?!" Aaron blurted out.

"Yes now." Delilah stood up, brushing her cloths with her hands. "I want to get as much done as possible before night. The faster we finish this mission the better."

The group silently complied to Delilah's orders. The campsite was dealt with in a hurry, and after the fire was put out and after all the bags were packed, they trekked off into the wilderness. The pace was slower than before but still above normal limits, even as they navigated across the mountains separating Vale from the rest of the continent. They were making good time because by the time they made it through to the other side, it was still early in the afternoon. Delilah was head of the group, cloak fluttering in the wind. She had her scroll in her hand and tapping at it frantically while glancing around ever so often.

"Is she always like this?" Aaron whispered over to Lector as he stared at their leader. The other man chuckles to himself as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Don't worry, having a stick up her ass is normal for her." He grinned, grunting when Jasper elbowed him in the gut.

"Enough with the talk, we're getting close." Delilah stated as she stopped mid step. "Gather around."

The group caught up with her and stepped in close as she pulled out a tablet sized scroll from her bag. It hummed to life, revealing a heavily documented map of Sanus.

"We're here," She began as she pointed at a spot on the map. "The first scout's last signal was a quarter of a mile southeast. Once we get there I advise that we split up in pairs- keep your scrolls on to maintain communication, understood?"Delilah looked up from the scroll and glanced around, holding in a sigh when Aaron raised his hand.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Shouldn't we um...stick together?"Aaron suggested."It seems like suicide to just be separate."

"We'll cover more area in a short amount of time, simple as that." Delilah pressed, ending the conversation. "By the way, you're pairing up with Lector."

"Wait what?"

"Sweet!" Lector snickered as he nudged Aaron's shoulder. "Don't worry, just follow my lead."

"Lincoln and Jasper, you'll be a pair and Flint, you're coming with me. Any questions?"Delilah inquired, glancing around.

"None here." Flint said.

"Good, then let's get going."

* * *

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"What are you talking about Aaron, I've been in the business longer than you have. Ofcourse I know what I'm doing!"

Aaron and Lector had gone off in a random direction after the group initaly split up. Aaron was quick to let Lector take the lead, but as the minutes dragged on, it was becoming clear that Lector didn't know what he was doing. It took him ten minutes before he finally admitted defeat.

"We're lost." He sighed, tail drooping to the ground.

"I knew it, what are we gonna do now?"

"I don't know? How about you do something!" Lector shot back, clearly peeved. Aaron rolled his eyes at the other's attitude. This guy was supposed to have years more experience, yet he acted more like a hot headed teen.

"Maybe I will at least I get to put my hunting experience to good use." He sneered, venturing off into the overgrown vegetation around them.

"You hunt?" Lector inquired.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"It's just that I'd never expect someone like you to be into something so..."

"So what?" Aaron growled, turning to give Lector a warning glare. The other man shot his hands up in mock surrender. It was clear to him that he hit a sore spot.

"Woah! I'm not trying diss you or anything! I'm just surprised that's all."

Aaron stood there silently, contemplating the words Lector said. It wasn't often that someone was interested in hearing about him and his life, maybe it was because how silent he's been about it. As much as his outward persona would make the average onlooker assume, he was very sensitive about his private life. The only other person he let in was Jackson. This was a change of pace that he liked, even though he'd be quick to deny it. Aaron turned around so his back was facing Lector and as he continued to look around, he gathered the courage to talk.

"My...father taught me everything I know. We lived in the outskirts of our village so instead of going to the markets for food, we actually hunted for it-well most of it but you get the point. I was quick learner, my skills with archery got me a name for myself, and I was going places. That's until...well that's all in the past." Aaron finished. He could feel the sympathy rolling off of Lector's body, and he hated it. Like what he said before, it was all in the past, but he couldn't understand why he was mulling over it. He had bigger priorities now. Aaron shook his head in a vain attempt to get the memories out of his mind: That never worked and it never changed.

Aaron glanced at Lector over his shoulder. "What's your hobby?"

Lector snorted as if the answer to that question was obvious. The image of his body distorted for a second before disappearing entirely. "Isn't it obvious? I steal stuff! I'm a thief-or I was before joining the White Fang." Lector quickly came back into view, twirling a dagger with his fingers.

"Why am I not surprised." Aaron sighed.

"Hey! If you lived on the streets you'd do anything to survive, damn straight."

Aaron stayed silent, he understood more of that sentiment than he let on. His time on the streets brought a whole new level of understanding on his part. But he wouldn't say that out loud, it was that stubborn part of him that kept him from doing it. An annoying jingle interrupted Aaron's thoughts. It was Lector's personal scroll, that the other opened up with reluctance.

"Oh, It's little miss stick-in-the-mud. Let's put this on speaker." He hummed, as he tapped on his scroll.

"How is it on your end Lector?" Delilah asked.

"We're lost! It's Lector's fault!" Aaron hollered much to Lectors dismay.

"Shut up! Don't listen to him Delilah, we aren't doing so bad out hear."

"Oh really? Have you found anything yet?" Delilah questioned him, tone of voice indicating that she don't believe a single word he said. It took a second for Lector to come up with a reply.

"Well...no but-"

"Then keep looking," Delilah cut in mid sentence. "Flint and I've only found signs Grimm, but it's better than nothing. Take about thirty more minutes before coming back to regroup. We'll discuss what happens next later."

Before Lector could say anything else, the call ended. Lector was seething as he pocketed the scroll. By the silent muttering of curses centered that woman, it was clear that he held some animosity towards her. Lector marched past Aaron, going in no particular direction.

"Where are you going?" He called after him.

"Anywhere but here! That bitch gets on my nerves so much I swear..." Lector's angry rant trails off into the distance as he walked further into the woods. Aaron was quickly on his trail. He'd hate to lose his teammate in a forest as thick as it was.

* * *

"So how is it on their end?" Flint leaned against a sturdy tree and watched as his leader shut her scroll with a huff. He was silent as she paced around for a few seconds. "Well?"

* * *

Delilah grunted, before turning her attention to him. "Not any better than we are i'm afraid." She lamented. Flint nodded with understanding. This mission was taking a toll on all of them, and it just started. However, Flint observed that Delilah had been taking it worse than any of them expected. While he hadn't known the woman for that long, it wasn't hard to see when things snuck their way in. That speech she gave at the campsite was a giant red flag.

"What were you thinking back there?" His question stopped Delilah in hr tracks. She glanced over to him with her fingers stroking her chin.

"What do you mean? What I said wasn't wrong."

"What you said was complete nonsense!" Flint barked, letting his anger slip from underneath him. He realized his mistake and looked away quickly, not wanting to show the embarrassment in his face. "I'm sorry...I don't know what came over me."

"Don't worry, but with how things have been going on these past years I'm struggling to find any sense normalcy. Too much has happened."

"Normalcy? Sometimes I forget that you're three years older than me with those words. Honestly it's like someone ripped you right out of the old kingdom." Flint snickered.

"It was hard to find other huntsmen and huntresses that sat down for a nice book once and awhile. You should try and do that sometime."

"Heh, I'll read when I'm dead." Flint scoffed as he rolled his eyes. "But seriously, you're not going to find anything normal here. This is Remnant Delilah, you should know this by now."

Delilah sighed as she heard Flint's words. Her attention turned to the sky at that moment and she closed her eyes, thinking quietly. The two of them stayed there as a breeze ghosted by and rustling the surrounding tree leaves.

"I understand, but one can dream." She hummed.

"Dream? I haven't dreamed in a long time." Flint grunted. Delilah looked at the man in silence, not hiding the look of pain in her eyes.

"A tragedy."

* * *

 **I'm glad I got this chapter out of the way. Time to pick up the pace!**

 **Until then,**

 **Ja ne~**


End file.
